Just Speak
by vvvv1123
Summary: Owen and Annabelle are in love, and go on with life till Mallory develops anorexia and Whitney becomes involved. Sophie wants to be friends again, and Will looks for revenge. Takes place a month or two after the book. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

_**All the credit goes to Sarah Dessen. Please R&R.  
**_

_My life had changed in a matter of few days. It was overwhelming. Will Cash was in jail for a while. Clarke and I had become good friends. I had quit modeling, and Mallory had taken my place. My mom was more than happy to be Mallory's manager. Whitney and Kirsten were close again and Whitney did her best to forget her past. Owen. Owen was perfect. We are now stronger than ever, and there were no secrets between us. _

"You make everything sound so easy." I muttered. It was only a day ago, that Owen was ungrounded. He was already preparing for the show. During lunch. He was trying to teach me how to work all the radio show things.

"That's because it is." He replied, smiling.

"You're impossible." I shook my head at him, giving up. He laughed, and kissed my forehead.

"Dude, use the Lipo song. After the other one." Rolly said pointing, stuffing his sandwich in his mouth. Rolly now drove all the way to Jackson High School just for lunch and to see Clarke. She was now the "love of his life" as Rolly put it. So, the wall was now filled up. Owen, Rolly, Clarke, and I all ate together for a full hour before we all had to go separate ways to class.

"Yeah. Good choice." Owen nodded. He typed into the laptop, and then shut it down. He took a bite of his apple and put his arm around me. I smiled, and to ruin the moment, my cell phone rang.

"Annabelle. I need help. I don't know what to do. Annabelle. Come home quick. Fast." My mom frantically yelled through the phone. I stood up, immediately.

"Yeah, Mom. I'll be there in five." I replied. Owen looked at me, curious.

"My mom. She's freaking out. I've got to go." I packed all my things, quickly said bye to Rolly and Clarke, and Owen followed me. That was one of the things I loved about Owen. He never argued with me. He just came along, no questions asked.

"What happened?" Owen asked, concerned. He looked at me, raising his eyebrows, before he looked back on the road. I kept fidgeting, and moving, and I was really nervous.

"I don't know. The last time she freaked was when she found out Whitney—" I started, but I was cut off by Owen's cell phone.

"Yeahhhh? Wait, WHAT? Is that why…oh. I'm driving over there now." Owen said quickly, and he drove faster after he put the phone down.

"What, Owen?" I asked, my eyes wide, preparing for the worst. My mind flew through the possibilities.

"Mallory has anorexia. Like Whitney. She just threw up. Blood." Owen said, flat.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: This is chapter 2 and again I do not own any of the characters or the book. They all belong to Sarah Dessen. Thanks for reading chapter 1, and if you could read and review this, it would really improve my writing and help me for my future stories. THANK YOUUU(:_

"Where's Mallory?" Owen demanded, as we entered my house.

"She's in the bathroom. I picked her up for a meeting, and then we- we came back just for lunch, and then she ate the tiniest bite of her salad and then went to the bathroom. I heard s-screaming, so I went and then there was blood and sh-she was unconscious and oh, Annabel, I'm scared." My mom rushed through the words, her hands shaking. Owen rushed up the stairs, as my mom finished. I comforted my mom for a while. I patted her back, as she covered her face in her hands. I could tell my mom was trying to keep it strong.

"I hope you weren't in class or anything. I called you since Whitney and you-"My mom started again, but broke into tears halfway. I pulled her into a hug, and told her everything's going to be okay. Right as I said that, tears welled up in my eyes. When Whitney was diagnosed with anorexia, our whole family changed. She stayed in the hospital for almost a year, and we'd go there every other night. Our lives stopped until she got out of treatment. My mom cried for what seemed like eternity.

"Honey, thank you so much. Now, go upstairs. Mrs. Armstrong needs more help than me." My mom choked out. I nodded, squeezed her hand. As I went upstairs, I couldn't help but sneak a peek at my mom. She sat at the kitchen table, breathing heavily, trying to keep it together. I wiped my eyes, and braced myself to see what was going on in the bathroom.

The bathroom was a mess. There were towels everywhere. I saw Mallory by the toilet. I didn't bother to look into the toilet, but I diverted my eyes to Mallory. Her lips were purple and her eyes were closed. Her skin was the pale, and she looked like she was going to throw up again. Mrs. Armstrong was silently crying in the back. Owen had his hand on her shoulder, telling her Mallory would be fine. Whitney was holding Mallory's hair up for her. Whitney looked at me, her eyes red. She turned back, once Mallory had whispered something to her. Owen turned to look at me, his expression unreadable. Although he didn't show it, I knew he loved Mallory as much as he loved me. I stood on the other side of Mrs. Armstrong comforting her, just as I did for my mom.

"We should, uh, take her to the hospital." I told Owen, my voice hoarse. He nodded. In a few minutes, Owen had carried Mallory to Mrs. Armstrong's van. It was heartbreaking to see her. She was trying resist, but she had the strength of a feather. She could barely talk, but Owen stared straight ahead, and put her in the backseat. Mrs. Armstrong followed them, sobbing her way to the van. I went with them, leaving Whitney and Mom behind. I could tell memories were flooding back to them and there were flowing back to me too. I just did my best to stay away from that. Right before we backed off, Whitney had said something to Mallory, and before Owen took off, she whispered, "I'm sorry, Annabel."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N – Hey guys :) So I decided to make this chapter in Owen's POV since Owen's my favorite character and I wanted this chapter to be sort of his. Anyways, I really hope you like it. Don't forget to review after you read ;) I don't own any of these characters again, and they all belong to Sarah Dessen.**

Owen's POV-Chapter 3

"Belle, it's not your fault. You know it isn't." I replied softly.

"Yeah, it is. If you had never met me, Mallory would've never gotten into this." She whispered, through her tears. I sighed. After the doctor had come to see Mallory, Mom had sent us back to school. When the last bell rang, Annabel met me at my car, and right when we were about to go back to the hospital to see Mallory, Mom had told us it wasn't the best time. So, Annabel decided to come over to my house while we waited for a call from Mom. Within a few minutes, Annabel burst into tears, telling me it was all her fault.

"Okay. Annabel. First of all, stop. It's not your fault. It's Mallory's. She made a mistake. Second, I'm glad I met you. Look where it's gotten us. I love you. So, we're in a problem. It's okay. We'll get out of it. Like we always do. It's gonna be okay." I said quietly, lacing my fingers with hers. At first, I wasn't sure whether I was lying or not. On the way to school, Annabel had told me Whitney had changed their lives. Would that happen to me too? I couldn't believe Mallory. Of course she would want to be like Jenny Reef or some other superficial "pop" singer. She probably thought it was the "best thing to do" or whatever. I was so mad at her. But, when I carried her to the car, she was so…weak. It was scary. I knew she needed me there, but I didn't know what to say to her. Maybe it would come to me when I saw her. Or not.

She smiled, "I love you too." Annabel's smile was one of the best things about her. It made my heart beat a bit faster and the world stop spinning. I smiled back, pulling her in for a kiss. As our lips met, I found what I was looking for my whole life. She was so perfect, and I wondered what I did do deserve her. She broke away to get the phone that had been ringing. She handed it to me, and I knew immediately, that if Annabel had picked it up, her tears would start.

"Mom?" I asked.

"Owen, honey? Mallory's fine. She'll be in the hospital for now, but we'll be keeping a close watch on her, and I'm going to go talk to Annabel's mom for a while, so, Mallory said she'd be fine alone. And, you may talk to her now. Oh, Owen, please be careful." She ended, hanging up.

Annabel looked at me curiously, her eyebrows raised.

"Let's go." I replied, grabbing my keys. She nodded, and got up and followed me to the car.

When we entered her room, Mallory looked sick. Terribly sick. Her lips were purple and almost swollen. Her hair was messily tied up, and she was really pale. Her mouth quivered at the ends, trying to smile. _Wow_, was all I could think.

"You came." Her voice was barely above a whisper. I opened my mouth, but no words came out, so I just nodded. Annabel let go of my hand, and walked over to her. She looked at Mallory with adoration and pure innocence. I would never have the courage she had, and that was one thing I knew never was going to change.

"Of course we'd come. I mean, how could we not?" Annabel smiled softly. Mallory tried to laugh, but it sounded like a cough.

"Well, I mean it IS Owen. He'd never come." She said, winking at Annabel. I walked over to her, but I still couldn't talk. What was wrong with me? Annabel nudged me, motioning it was my queue to talk. I cleared my throat.

"Hey, Mal. Can I ask you a question? I'm not mad or anything. I just wanna know the answer to this one." I said. Surprisingly, she nodded, calm.

"Why did you do this?" And when I said, my voice cracked. Annabel squeezed my hand.

"Hm. I'll tell you later. Promise. And, uh, Annabel? You're phones ringing." Mallory said, half smiling again. Annabel smiled back, and picked up her phone. She talked for a few seconds, before she turned to me.

"I gotta go. Well visit you again tomorrow, okay? In fact, we'll visit you every day." Annabel said, smiling a little. I could tell tears were welled up, but she held them in. I nodded, quickly squeezing Mallory's hand as lightly as I can. She nodded, with an expression I couldn't understand. We closed the door behind as quietly as possible, as Mallory closed her eyes. For the first time, tears welled up in my eyes, but I wiped them away before anyone could see them.

When I pulled up on Annabel's drive. I looked at her. I wondered what she was thinking. She smiled faintly and said, "Everything's gonna be alright." And at that moment, everything seemed so right, that I believed her. Maybe everything WAS going to be alright or maybe not. It was just a matter of time.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN – HEY, guys(: Well, freshman year is very entertaining. I'm doing my best to write a little bit every night. I know this is a really short chapter, but the next one will be long. Well, REVIEW please(: Alrighty, guys, hope you like it!**

**Chapter 4**

"Annabel. We need to talk." Whitney said, as soon as I entered the house. I nodded silently, knew this was coming sooner than later. We walked into my room, and as I put my stuff down on my desk, she sat down.

"I'm sorry, Annabel. I know you probably don't need to be hearing this right now. But, when Mom called about Mallory…I was shocked. I truly did not expect what I saw. I mean, did I look like that? Anyways, I really regret everything I did. I know I hurt you and impacted your life, but ugh. This is so hard. I know I keep saying 'I'm sorry" and everything, and I know sorry doesn't cut it, but I am. And, Annabel? Thanks for not quitting on me. I have loved you, and I always will. Remember that period of time when I didn't talk to you? Well, I regret that too. Big mistake. And I swear that will never ever happen again. Love you Annabel." Whitney said, before quietly shutting the door.

The tears that were welled up in my eyes, slowly poured out. One by one, they dropped like raindrops falling from the sky. Whitney had just apologized. _Apologized._ I knew she hadn't rehearsed it either; her eyes were twinkling like diamonds with tears. What about Mom or Kirsten? Why had she apologized to me? I tried understanding everything that had happened to me this past year. In ten minutes, everything had turned black. I let my wander off, and I went under.

"Owwennn." I sang, as I entered his room. He turned around from his desk, and smiled. I smiled back, and sat on his lap. His arms wound around my waist, and I snuggled against him. I looked at the laptop, which he was typing on before I entered. It was the playlist for the show.

"Owen? Um, do you…" I trailed off, moving my head upward to see his face. He closed his eyes, and sighed.

"Well…it's kind of a dedication to, uh, Mallory." Owen replied, his voice steady. I looked back at the playlist, which consisted to Jenny Reef and a bunch of pop artists that Owen would have deleted by now if it was not for Mallory. I half-smiled. It was really sweet that Owen was doing something.

"You know, she listens to your radio show every morning. She told me not to tell you, but I had to." I told him, quietly. He looked at me, surprise washing over his face. I nodded, kissing his cheek. Owen smiled. Just as he opened his mouth, his cell phone rang.

"Oh, hey Rolly. You serious? We're coming right now." Owen said, urgently. I got up, and he grabbed his keys. I cocked my head to the side in question, and Owen grabbed my hand and led me to his car.

"Well, apparently Sophie and Clarke had an encounter, and Clarke wants to speak to you…"Owen said, nervously. I raised my eyebrows, in shock. Sophie? Clarke? Me? This could go either way. The Mayan Chants must've made Owen even more nervous, because, he quickly turned it off.

As soon as Owen parked in his driveway, we headed inside.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys(: This is Chapter 5, I finally uploaded it. This chapter is a bit different. I split these up into a few POV's. Please R&R, I really want to know if it's good enough. Thank you again (Oh, and all of this does not belong to me, but to Sarah Dessen) and I hope you enjoyyy(:**

Annabel's POV

"I don't understand." I stated flatly. I looked at Clarke, whose eyes were red. She sniffed, and wiped her eyes.

"She talks a buncha trash about me TO me, and then tells me to stay away from you. THEN to tell you she wanted to be friends again?" Clarke said, frustrated, her voice hoarse from crying. I scrunched my eyebrows. Sophie wanted to be friends. With me. After all she's done to me. After all I've been through. And now, she wants to make up? That made no sense.

Owen and Rolly walked through the door. They went out to the music store to gives us some privacy, but I could tell they also went for a new CD that had just come out. As Owen entered, he looked at me with concern. I just nodded. Rolly sat next to Clarke on his bed, while she sat there, her eyes thoughtful. Owen took a seat by me, on the floor, and slung his arm around my shoulder. I leaned against him.

"She wants to be friends again." I whispered. He raised his eyebrows. I knew he was wondering what I would do. I knew exactly what I would do. I would go tell her that I would never be friends with her. All those words she had called me had affected me. No matter how hard she tried I would never accept.

Will's POV

"You have a visitor." The officer spat at me, grabbing my wrists. He pulled me along the jail cells to the the visitor room. I sat down, and looked up to see Sophie in there, staring at her cell phone. She looked at me, and then, back at her cell phone. She stuffed it in her bag.

"So?" I said my voice eager.

"No. She came to school yesterday and I went up to her. She told me she never wanted to see me again, and that we would never be friends." She said her voice unsure. I sighed. This was going to get nowhere. I only wanted to get revenge on Owen. God, he was so aggravating. Did he really need to punch me? Did he really need to go tell her to turn me in? He was the problem. We just needed him out of the picture. Then everything would be perfect. The only reason I called Sophie was that I knew she and Annabel had some kind of history and knowing Annabel she would somehow give in. But, she refused? Owen must've told her that too. That guy was one step ahead of me. I just needed to figure out a brilliant plan to get one step ahead of him. And I will.

I stood up from my chair, and pushed it in with the heel of my foot. I glanced at Sophie, whose eyes were on me. We met eyes for an instant, and she got up, and walked past me.

"I don't want to see you again either." She said through her teeth, and closed the door. One more person who hated me. Great. The officer came back in and grabbed me and pushed me in my cell. I sat on the messed up bed and thought about my plan. It was going to be the greatest plan anyone could ever imagine. It was gonna get Owen out. Out of my life.

Annabel's POV

I felt good. Owen was with me. I had blown off Sophie. And, Clarke's pool was the perfect contrast with the sun beating down on us. I sat next to the pool, and let my legs dangle into the pool. Rolly and Owen were playing volleyball in the pool. Clarke had taken a seat by me.

"Hey, I'm glad you did the right thing." She smiled, her fingers fidgeting. That was another thing I'd forgotten about Clarke. She always fidgeted with her fingers. I smiled back, and nodded. We talked naturally about school, the show, and what best friends would talk about. An hour later, Owen's phone rang. Owen got out of the pool and answered it.

"Oh. Right. Thanks for the reminder." He said, shutting the phone.

"Belle. Mallory's waiting." He said, evenly. I nodded, and got up. I had forgotten about the time. We quickly left, and he dropped me off at my house. I took a shower as quick as I could, and he did the same at his house. He came in half an hour later, ready to pick me up. As we drove to the hospital, I let my mind wander. I was very proud of Owen and how he had taken Mallory and her disorder. Definitely not like me. I had freaked out, and had no idea what to do. Owen, on the other hand, had took the situation smoothly, and acted as though nothing was wrong.

After we parked at the hospital, we walked, hand in hand, to her room. I remembered what I had said to Owen before. Everything was gonna be alright.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N—Holaa(: Well, I do apologize for not uploading in a loooong time. It's just that there's SO much work. It's all piling onto mee. BUT, don't worry. I'm gonna write and upload as FAST as I can(: ENJOY! Oh, and review if you can pleasee(:

Mallory POV

"Hey, Annabel. Owen." I nodded as they came in. My voice was beginning to get stronger and I knew Owen had caught that. His eyes had brightened up. I still hadn't told Owen why I'd become anorexic. He wouldn't understand. No one would understand. It was regrettable, but I had my reasons. Annabel smiled as she came up to me, her hand behind her back. Owen had decided to sit, for some apparent reason. Annabel slowly brought her arms around, and revealed a tiny gift bag. I smiled. Annabel never failed to make me happy. She always brought a smile to my face. I took the bag without moving my arms that much, and slowly peered into it. It was a necklace that read "Amor est vitae essential." Which I knew meant "Love is the essence for life" in Latin. I looked up at Annabel, but she shook her head I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. She pointed to Owen, and gave a small smile. Owen was staring out the window, drumming his fingers. I raised my eyebrows, this time. Owen. Out of people. Owen had bought me this? Wow. Maybe there was faith in him after all. I let out a random giggle. Owen snapped his head up, my giggle bringing him back into reality. I smiled widely, pointing to the necklace. He shook his head, quickly, and looked away again. It was that moment that it was the first time I've ever seen my brother cry.

Annabel POV

"Meeting at the kitchen table." My mom yelled from the kitchen. I grabbed Owen's hand. He was over to study with me, but it was also partly because Mrs. Armstrong was freaking out about Mallory's new treatments. We walked to the table, to find everyone sitting there. To my surprise, Brian, Kirsten's boyfriend, was over and standing next to Kirsten. She was smiling widely, her eyes filled with excitement. I raised my eyebrows. Mom bit her lip, preparing for what was going to come. Dad put an arm around her shoulder. Whitney was standing there, confused, trying to figure out the possibilities.

"I already asked Kirsten, and she accepted. But, I also wanted the permission of the family. Kirsten is very important to me, and as you can see, probably the light of my life. I know she's important to you to. And…" Brian trailed off, obviously nervous in front of my dad.

"Spit it out, son." He grunted, his lips curved into a smile.

"May I marry your daughter?" He blurted out, his face turning red. Kirsten squeezed his hand, soothingly. I smiled. My mom squealed. Whitney chuckled, surprise crossing over her face. Dad looked at all of us, and with a grin on his face, nodded. Brian exhaled, relief showering over his face. Kirsten laughed, her voice putting a smile on our faces. I leaned into Owen, feeling happiness for everyone in the family. Everything did have a happy ending. Didn't it?

Will POV

"Owen. Owen Armstrong." I said into the phone.

"Him? Dude, you don't wanna mess with him. He got out of Anger Management just a few months ago, I think. He's the one who got into that huge fight. Stay away from him, Will. Hell, dude, just stay away from trouble." Kyle replied, concern in his voice. I sighed. Kyle was like a brother to me. I listened to everything he says. But, not this time. Owen was gonna get it. Bad.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N—HEY GUYS(: I finally updated! WOHOO(: Okay, so I know it's been quite a while, but I will warn you. This chapter isn't all that dramaish…but that's okay. I hope you'll enjoy it…R&R pleasee!

P.S. THANK YOU for all the reviews, favs, story alerts, etc…it means so much to me! Love you guys, and till the next chapterrrrr, laterr(:

Annabel POV

"Um, hey, Belle. Come here." Owen said, kissing me on the cheek quickly, and led me to the wall. His voice sounded...nervous. I raised my eyebrows.

"Your mom told me to tell you this, because you wouldn't freak out that much if I told you…" Owen trailed off, looking in the direction of where Rolly and Clarke were. I could see them; hand in hand, walking towards us, as slow as possible. I looked back at Owen, who was playing with my fingers. I scrunched up my eyebrows. My mom?

"Your mom invited Sophie's family to the wedding." He said quickly, watching silently at my reaction.

Sophie. At my sister's wedding. Sophie. In the same room as me. Sophie. Sophie. _Sophie._ Oh, how I hated that name. And now, she was invited to my own sister's wedding? I sucked in a deep breath, and closed my eyes. I counted to ten. I opened my eyes again.

"That's great for her then." I said, quietly, looking down at my feet. Owen half smiled, and pulled me into a hug. When I hugged Owen, I always never want to let go. He was a great hugger too. I pulled back, smiling, but held on to his hand. His hand was perfect. It fit mine perfectly. I never failed to think how lucky we are to meet each other.

"Owen. I got the play list. Dude, I got this PPM, and…" Rolly had started, as soon as he sat down. Clarke sat down next to Rolly, who put his arm around her. I smiled and leaned back against wall, and made small-talk with Clarke while Owen and Rolly were discussing the show. For the first time in a long while, I felt happy.

Owen POV

If my life was a jigsaw puzzle, all the pieces would be together except one. My mom was safe, my radio show was good, and Belle was happy [and always there for me]. But, the only thing that was missing was Mallory. Probably the craziest sister in the world. The most annoying. And of course the one with the worst taste of music. I missed her though. How much she talked when I dropped her off at home. Or when I had a fight with Annabel, Mallory would fix up the broken pieces and everything was perfect again. I loved her. She was going to be fine though. I had hope. And then, maybe, after that, my jigsaw puzzle will be complete.

"Mom?" I called, entering the house.

"Hey, sweetie. In the kitchen. How was school?" She replied. I walked in the kitchen to find my mom sitting at the kitchen table reading one of her novels. She looked up at me, and smiled. I nodded, and helped myself to an apple.

"How's Annabel?" She asked, a change in the tone in her voice. I looked at her.

"Good…why?" I asked, hesitantly.

"Nothing…just be careful. Okay, Owen? Her mom told me she's been going through some tough times and I think you should give her some time." She said, choosing her words carefully. Her face was full of concern. I stared at her for a minute, and then I nodded.

"Okay. Will do." I said, and walked out. I went upstairs to my room, and sat at my desk for a moment. All I could think was, "Well, that was weird."

Annabel POV

"Wedding. Planning. Stressing. Annabel, honey, get me some water, would you?" My mom started again. I sighed. My mom quickly took over the job of planning everything for Kirsten's wedding, when Kirsten had listed the jobs we needed. My mom, who had to have everything planned perfectly, was freaking out, when she realized there was only a week left till the wedding. I handed her the water, and went up to my room. I was in charge of bridesmaids. It was the easiest job in her whole list, so I had agreed to that. I already knew Whitney and I were two of them. I just needed to find four more. Maybe I could call up some of her friends. They would definitely agree. I laid back on my bed, and closed my eyes. Everything was so overwhelming. It was all going to be over soon. At least I think it will.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N- **_

_**1. First of all, I'd like to apologize. I haven't posted in a really long time, and I'm sorry. There are two reasons, though. One is that I've been working on another story that I'm going to post on FictionPress in a few days, and the other is because I've had Writer's Block for this particular story. I think that's it's slowly wearing off, but thanks for waiting so long(: (But if you do have any ideas, please message me. Don't worry I'll give credit ;] )**_

_**2. Second of all, please read and review. Reviewing helps a lot, so please review! **_

_**3. Third of all, none of these characters belong to me, but to one of my favorite authors, Sarah Dessen.**_

Annabel POV

"Welcome to Story Of My Life On WRUS." I said, into the microphone. Rolly gestured a thumbs up. Clarke smiled encouragingly. It was my third time doing this. It wasn't as bad as last time, but I was still nervous. I looked at Owens laptop. The play list had already started, and a Mayan had begun to chant. Where was Owen? I looked at the door. He told me he'd be with me.

"Hey, Annabel, call for you," Rolly poked his head through the door, sticking out my phone. I nodded. I took off my headphones, making sure to put on a long ten-minute water dripping song next. I walked towards the door, preparing for the blow. In the last few days, every time a phone call was made, something in my life had drastically been changed.

"Belle," Owens voice filled the receiver with relief.

"Owen. Are you okay?" I asked, worried and confused at the same time.

"Well, sort of, yeah...Hey, tell Rolly to take over the show and meet me outside." He said, with a new, unreadable tone to his voice.

"Okay, I'll be there in a few," I replied, and we hung up. I quickly told Rolly to take over the show. He seemed confused, but once I told him Owen had told me to tell him, he listened automatically. Clarke noticed the worried tone in my voice, and assured me that everything was going to be alright. I hope everything _would _turn out to be alright.

Owen POV

I saw Annabel walking towards me. I could see the confused look on her face. I could tell she was worried. This was not how it was supposed to turn out. How could I have let this happen?

"Hey," I managed to get out.

"Owen. What happened?" She asked, as soon as she reached me, "Owen. Look at me," Her voice more scared by the second. I didn't want her to be scared. But I had no choice. I turned toward her. She gasped. She touched my black eye and the purple running down my face.

"Oh my god. Owen, who did this?" She asked, she sounded on the verge of tears.

"At Bendo, um, he was there, and...we got in a little-uh, well. So, um yeah," I mumbled, trying to keep it short.

"Owen. That's clearly not the story. Tell me the WHOLE story." She demanded. I sighed.

"Fine, I was at Bendo picking something up from Dexter. Turns out...Will was released early. Did you know that? Well, he was there at Bendo, that freakin' idiot. He said something about 'how I made his life worse' and then he punched me. I didn't want to get into a fight. So, I walked away before I lost control. Then, he said, 'watch out for Annabel' and, 'this is just the beginning'. Then I came here, to make sure you were alright. I don't want you hurt." I finished, choking out the words. My throat hurt so much, but to see Annabel's face hurt more. Her face shifted through confusion, concern, pain, and anger.

"Will's back?" She asked, her voice suddenly quieter. I nodded, slowly, so the pain wouldn't hurt as much. She sat against the hood of my truck. I sat next to her and slipped my fingers through hers. Will leaved my mind, and all I could think about was Annabel. The girl who found me, and showed me the way of life. The girl who I'm in love with. How she never fails to surprise me. How she's so perfect. How a guy like me could ever end up with a girl like her.

"This sounds really cheesy, but we're in this together. You know that, right?" I said, squeezing her hand to reassure her that I was here and I wouldn't let her get hurt. She nodded faintly. I kissed her right then and there. Everything felt so right, and I swear the world stopped spinning.

"We're in this together," she echoed, smiling.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N- **

**Hey Guys. So, Just Speak, in my opinion, has slowly made its way around, and it's getting to its ending point. So, these last few chapters are centered on the Wedding. It's probably going to split into 3 or 4 parts. Don't worry, these chapters will be looong. These are the chapters where everything is going to happen, the climax, and blahblahblah. Well, hope you guys like it!  
**

**P.S. - This is DEF. NOT the end of my FanFiction stories. I've started another one for Just Listen and I'm going to write some for other books. I'm trying to focus on my FictionPress story, b/c that's the one that consuming up my time A LOT. So, don't hate me for this! But, you'll see me in other storiesss! :) Love you guys so much...and thanks for commenting and liking and whatnot.**

_**Below is a preview of The Wedding-Part 1.**_

-I opened my eyes. It was 7:30. On the 14th. Which meant today was Kirsten's wedding. It was THE Wedding. The one everyone had anticipated, and eagerly waited for. The one where my mom had planned out inch by inch. The one where Whitney makes her big dramatic speech. The one where I get to see my sister get married, and I get to see her happy. Today's an exciting day.

But then again, today was the day I get to see Sophie. And Will. Mom invited his family too. Apparently she was trying to be "polite", and she believed that he had "changed and taken the high road". And then there was Owen. Owen and his revenge. The worst part was I didn't even tell Owen that Will was attending. This was going to be bad. I sighed. I still remember when he told me.

"_Revenge." I repeated. When he said, "We're in this together." This was not what I had in mind. He nodded, his eyes dark, and serious. There was no sign of humor behind them._

"_Yeah. That ass deserves it. So, revenge it will be." He said, defiantly. _

"_Owen, honey, I know you're mad. But what if you got hurt and-"_

"_Perfect. I'll call Rolly. He'd kill for an opportunity like this. Thanks, Belle." He smiled, and kissed me on the cheek. He left the room to go make the call, and I just sat there staring at his wall. Great. _

I sighed. I looked back at the clock. I closed my eyes again. Maybe a few more minutes wouldn't kill. Maybe it'll get me away from all this chaos. Maybe it'll get me away from this place. Just for a little while...


	10. The Wedding Part 1 CHAPTER 10

I opened my eyes. It was 6:30. On the 14th. Which meant today was Kirsten's wedding. It was THE Wedding. The one everyone had anticipated, and eagerly waited for. The one where my mom had planned out inch by inch. The one where Whitney makes her big dramatic speech. The one where I get to see my sister get married, and I get to see her happy. Today's an exciting day.

But then again, today was the day I get to see Sophie. And Will. Mom invited his family too. Apparently she was trying to be "polite", and she believed that he had "changed and taken the high road". And then there was Owen. Owen and his revenge. The worst part was I didn't even tell Owen that Will was attending. This was going to be bad. I sighed. I still remember when he told me.

"_Revenge." I repeated. When he said, "We're in this together." This was not what I had in mind. He nodded, his eyes dark, and serious. There was no sign of humor behind them._

"_Yeah. That ass deserves it. So, revenge it will be." He said, defiantly. _

"_Owen, honey, I know you're mad. But what if you got hurt and-"_

"_Perfect. I'll call Rolly. He'd kill for an opportunity like this. Thanks, Belle." He smiled, and kissed me on the cheek. He left the room to go make the call, and I just sat there staring at his wall. Great. _

I sighed. I looked back at the clock. I closed my eyes again. Maybe a few more minutes wouldn't kill. Maybe it'll get me away from all this chaos. Maybe it'll get me away from this place. Just for a little while...

#

Owen POV 

The moment I saw Belle this morning, I swear my eyes had opened up to a new world. She was stunningly beautiful, and when her eyes met mine, my heart skipped a beat. How did a guy like me ever end up like a girl like her? It was a miracle, Mallory liked to say. I stared at her beauty, as she gracefully danced her way to me.

"You're beautiful," I whispered in her ear, as I hugged her. She smiled.

"You're not so bad yourself. You clean up pretty well." She replied, entwining her fingers with mine. I chuckled. I leaned in for a kiss, but something caught my eye. Belle furrowed her eyebrows, and looked in the direction my eyes were. Sophie and Clarke. Talking. As friends. As my face formed into confusion, Belle smiled.

"Yeah...I got the chance to talk to her. And she told me everything. Turns out she's on our side. We're catching up." She said, a gleam in her eyes. A gleam of hope. That everything was turning around. I looked at her adoringly, and I kissed her. I wrapped my arms around her waist, and pulled her closer. She entwined her fingers in my hair, hoping to make the kiss last longer. This was my favorite place to be. THIS was my happy ending.

Sophie POV

Watching them kiss made me think. My life had taken a sharp turn so quickly. One day, I was calling her to hang out, the next I was calling her a slut. A bitch. Those words poured out on me. I never knew what an impact I'd made. For one, I was a bully. A mean, mean girl with no life to tend to. A psychopath even, if you count the angry conversations I've had with Will. Another, I had no idea where I was in life. I was lost. Like a bug on a windshield, just hanging out there like nothing's wrong. But, that was the thing. There was so much wrong with me. It wasn't just a phase in my life. It wasn't just a moment. It was my whole freaking' life. And I hated it. The whole time, I've been mean and not only did I destroy my old life, I made myself a new person. I had turned into that person that didn't give a crap, but deep down inside wanted her best friends back. The girl who had only tried to defend herself, and ended up crashing her whole world. Stabbing her best friends in the back. Turning it upside down.

"Oh. Yeah. Owen and Annabel have been together for over a year. They're cute, don't you think?" Clarke said, a smile forming. I smiled, faintly. I glanced at them, again. They were happy. Joyful. With no worries. With no cares. All those words I had yelled, said, whispered, bullied Annabel just rebounded on me. She found her happy place, and finally erased her past. I hadn't. I had stuck with no friends, no life. I had tried living it. What sucks is that I hadn't even believed my best friend. I had to turn my back, and ask Will. Will, the guy who had cheated on me before. The guy who told me to my face, that he didn't care what I thought. That I didn't matter. I had believed him. Him. When the trial had happened, I was faced with real feelings. I had opened to the world, showing everyone what had happened. How I had got slapped, cut, and scratched with all this pain. It hit me.

Thank god for forgiveness. Thank god for hope. Thank god for Annabel. She was my guardian angel, in a way. I was glad to have her. She was going to help me through this. She was going to help me be a better person. She was going to be my friend, again.

"Yeah. They are cute," I replied, nodding at Clarke.

#

Annabel POV

"Annabel, honey!" My mom called. I turned around to see her running around frantically.

"Yes, mom?"

"Kirsten. Go check on her! Knowing her, she's probably not even in her dress yet!" My mom chuckled nervously.

"Mom. Please, calm down. Look, it's Owen." I said, hoping to distract her. She was WAY to nervous. She had been planning this for two months and I knew, everything had to be perfect. It was just like her, she was an absolute perfectionist. She looked at Owen.

"Okay, honey. I am, I'm doing good so far, aren't I? Oh, hi, Owen! Honey, you look quite handsome. He cleans up pretty well, doesn't he? You're lucky you have him, Annabel." She rushed through her words, giggling randomly. My dad came up from behind, and handed her a wine. She took it graciously, and sipped it. She wiped her forehead, even though there was no sweat to begin with.

"Sweetie. You're beautiful and you're doing everything perfect." My dad told her, and kissed her. She smiled, kissed him back, and reminded me to check on Kirsten. She walked away, more calmly, her back to my Dad.

"Son, THAT'S how you do it." He smiled, pleased with his work, patted Owen on the shoulder and walked away. Owen chuckled, smiling.

"You're family never gets old." He said, as I playfully poked him in the ribs. He grabbed me from behind, wounding his arms around my waist. I laughed, as he kissed my cheek.

"Kay. I've got to go check on Kirs. I'll be back," I said, hugging him tight. Honestly, I never ever wanted to let go. He smelled so good, it was inviting. He looked so good, it was perfect. He was just perfect. Perfect as can be.

"I'll be waiting," He winked, smiling. I smiled, and shook my head. As I walked into the church, I looked back. I saw Owen talking to Rolly, and Sophie and Clarke walking up to them. They were going to explain everything, perhaps. There was a lot to tell. The wedding had just started. It was off to a good start. I smiled. Only a few more hours. In a few hours, my family would be complete, and everyone would be happy. But, to every happy ending, there WERE a few bumps on the way, right? No happy ending has no rough middle. But, maybe Will wouldn't show up. Owen and I would be happy. In love. Maybe everything would go off without a hitch. And, I'd be happy. In love. Finally, in a place where I belong.


	11. The Wedding Part 2 CHAPTER 11

A/N: Hey guys(: Thanks for all the hits, alerts, and reviews. They've made so many of my days happy and you guys are definitely my inspiration. I know I haven't updated in forever, and it's just that finals are around and I haven't had any time to do anything! I'm practically living with no life right now, haha. But, I've got you guys, so thanks(: And, Just Speak is almost overrr, but there will be plenty more Dessen (love herrr. Oh, btw, her new book is out :D) Fanfics from me! So, thank you and can't wait till you read this chapter. If you want, lemme know what you think(;

Will POV (Earlier in the Morning)

_Kyle looked up at me, sadly. His eyes were blood shot red, and you could hear him breathe. Heavily._

"_Why, Will? Why?" He repeated for the second time, his voice rising slightly. I opened my mouth, but once again no words would come out. I didn't know why. Something was blocking my throat. A lump, maybe. I kept clearing my throat but my voice wouldn't speak._

"_We were brothers. We stuck together. And now, I told you to stay the hell away from him. You didn't. You went and got yourself into this. Thought we were brothers, man. Why, Will? Why?" He said, his voice raspy. I opened my mouth, and tried to speak. I closed my eyes. I just wanted a tiny sound to respond. A whisper, a shout, a scream, a yell. Anything. But, no. Kyle had gotten up now, and he was towering over me._

"_Dammit, Will. WHY?" He yelled, his voice ringing in my ears. Before I knew it, Kyle had curled his fist into a tight ball, and smashed my right jaw. Hard. The chair I had been sitting on, started creaking back. I took a deep breath and opened my mouth. I was getting ready to scream, but when I let go of my voice, it was silence. Pure silence. Then it hit me. My life was silenced. I was done. I was dead. My world turned black, and the last thing I could remember was staring at the ceiling, my voice finally breaking out, choking out the words with pain, "__Save me__."_

#

"Will! Will? Willllll! William Joshua Turner. Get up now, or no breakfast for you." A voice called him. Well, yelled at him. He squinted his eyes. He turned to see his alarm clock. 8. Why was he up so early? He decided not to argue with Mom when she was in this mood, so he kept his mouth shut. He stretched and slowly got up, just to find his Mom leaning against the doorway, watching him.

"Why so early?" He said, glancing at his alarm clock, once again. 8:10.

"It's Annabel's sister's wedding, remember? Wear your church clothes. Come to the table in fifteen minutes." She said, sighing, her voice tired. He sighed, as she left, leaning back into his bed. Everyone still hated him. Even his Mom. Everyone would probably hate him for the rest of his life. She was extremely disappointed with him. He knew why, he just wondered why she wouldn't be a supportive mother about all this. But, he got it. What he did was wrong, and he deserved all the pain everyone's causing. He closed his eyes, thinking back on his dream. What happened there? He was so confused, but he knew it could wait and got up before he lost his chance of eating breakfast.

#

When he was ten, Will's dad had died. His dad was his idol, and once he left, Will felt like he was stranded on an island with nowhere to go. Maybe that's why he had turned out so messed up. Oddly, that's all he could think about on his ride to the wedding. His dad. His mother, all dressed up in white, put on her happy face and tried to act like she didn't know him. She awkwardly patted his knee, and told him, "Stay out of trouble." He didn't know what to say to that. He knew Owen was going to be there, and he knew if he got his hands on him...just once. Just once.

#

Owen POV

I glanced at Annabel. God, she was so beautiful. She was talking to Clarke, but I couldn't help sneak a peek at her every once in a while. She caught me staring, and winked at me. I smiled to myself, and felt so proud to call her _my_ girlfriend.

"Can't stop staring at your girl?" A voice called from behind. I gritted my teeth. I could hear his footsteps as they walked closer and closer to me. Without looking behind me, I spit through my teeth, "What are you doing here? Leave, now."

I could hear his low chuckle. I still hadn't turned around. Why would I want to look at _that_?

"I was invited! No one told you? Ouch, looks like your girlfriend lied to you. And I have to admit, man, she is pretty hot."

At that moment, so many thoughts flew threw my head. _Annabel knew? Why would Annabel invite him anyways? God, he's an idiot. She lied to me? Wow. Did you just call her hot? Freak. She wouldn't lie to me..._

I glanced to my right to see Belle standing there. Shocked. Rolly, Clarke, and Sophie were next to her, acting like they were watching a movie. It looked like everyone else was already situated in the church. I turned to face Will. He smirked. I clenched my fists. I was doing everything I could to stop me from punching him.

"I say we settle this once and for all." He said, his voice indifferent.

"I say we should, but now's not the best time or place..." I trailed off, unsure of what Belle would think. I turned my back to him, facing Belle. She looked horrified.

"Oh c'mon Armstrong. I know you hit like a girl, so it's okay. I'll go easy on you, don't worry. Oh, and didn't you flunk Anger Management once? Oh right, haha. It's because someone insulted your freakin' radio show. That's just so weird. Thought you were normal, but guess you're not. I know why now. How did Annabel ever end up with you? She obviously wasn't thinking. She'll probably dump you after this year. She smarter than that."

I clenched my fists tighter. My nostrils flared. I could feel my face turning red. Belle looked at me. She shook her head slightly just so I would notice, and she mouthed, "Not worth it." Her face softened, but her eyes still contained fright in them.

I knew he wasn't worth it. I knew that if I made the wrong move here, I would pay for it. I knew that he was just some freak looking for a life, while bugging mine. I knew that. But, something was holding me back. I didn't know what it was. Something was whispering in the back of my head saying, "Hit him. See what happens." I shook my head. _He isn't worth it. He's not worth it. He would never be worth it._ I told myself, trying to wrap around that fact around my head. I wouldn't blow up about something that wasn't worth it. That'd be pointless and stupid. I turned back at him, to tell him calmly that I wasn't interested. But before I knew it, I blew.

#


	12. The Wedding Part 3 CHAPTER 12

_**A/N:**_** WOW(: This is the last chapter! I'm planning to write an epilogue to just give a little bit of future on each of the character's life. UNLESS you guys want me to write a sequel to this story. Please review or message me about that! Epilogue or Sequel? I'm also going to start a Truth About Forever Fanfiction since I just adore Sarah Dessen so much (and maybe a This Lullaby soon). Also, I few things I'd like to say. 1) All the characters belong to Sarah Dessen, and I am honored to write a continuation of this book. 2) THANKYOU. All you readers, reviewers, and all those people who are alerting my story & me deserve a round of applause. Without your input, I would've never had the courage to put more and more chapters up, so gracias mi amigos(; and 3) I can't wait till you guys read my next storyyyy(: Till, the next time, vvvv1123(:**

Owen's POV

The first blow hit him under his jaw. Before he could react, my leg kicked him in the balls (his balls, to be exact). No one saw it coming, but damn, did he deserve it (and it sounded like it hurt...good). I could hear Belle's voice in my head, disapproving to every move I make. My mind told me to stop, _I_ wanted to stop, but my body was so stubborn. But, it seemed as if every word he said, made my body jerk a reaction that no one would expect. It was pretty self-satisfying though, watching him go down like that, watching his 'plan' crumble into little pieces, and watching karma take its toll. But, no matter how satisfied I was, I wasn't _happy_. Happy was when I was with Belle, or when Mallory was getting better. It was when Mom and Dad were still together, and when Rolly, Clarke, Belle, and I did the radio show together. Happy was _supposed_ to be when I got revenge on Will. Oddly, the revenge wasn't as great, wasn't as 'happy', and definitely wasn't as revengeful as I'd thought it would be.

I thought about this, as Will was still trying to get up. He was weak on his knees, and he looked way too vulnerable. _Maybe I should stop now? Let's Stop, Owen. Poor guy's almost dead. Let him go._ The little angel in my head spoke. _NO! He deserves way more than a few punches and a kick in his balls. Maybe a left-handed punch right in his stomach, and then kick on his shin? _The devil argued, and started talking strategies. Man, I was conflicted. I turned to see what Belle was thinking this whole time. She was gone. This wasn't good. I knew she had gone inside the church to get help. She couldn't stand me fighting. I saw Clarke coming out of the church, looking alarmed. Mom, and a woman who was most probably Will's mom followed Clarke. I looked to my right to see Rolly, standing by my side. In case Will tried anything funny. Where was Belle?

"William Joshua Turner Cash! What in the world just happened here?" The woman yelled at him. I stared at him, wondering what he would say. There were so many possibilities.

"He-I...Uh, what happened was-the truth is-I, um," He sighed, and then started again, "Kyle. I need Kyle." What happened next was nothing to what I was expecting, he ran. He _ran_. He ran all the way down the street, and by the time he was out of sight, his mom got into a car and started up after him. Then, Clarke and Rolly went inside the church, whispering to each other as if a great movie had just ended. So, that left Mom and I standing awkwardly in front of the church.  
"Owen..." She trailed off, not knowing where to start. Her face was reprimanding, but her eyes were soft. I kept my gaze on the ground, shoving my hands into my pockets. What was I going to tell her? The truth obviously. But how? Before she could speak again, I could hear the wedding march starting to play. My mom looked at me for a minute, and then whispered, "We'll talk about this at home."

#

Will's POV

I ran. _One, two, three. _I kept pacing myself, and trying to get rid of the pain. Only five blocks to go. I could hear the engine behind me, and I knew at once that it was Mom's. But, I still ran. I needed to get to Kyle's place to tell him everything. I needed to let him know that I wasn't okay. That I needed help. Save me, save me, save me was all I was thinking as I ran. I blocked out the engine, I blocked out the sounds. I just needed someone to save me.

#

Owen's POV

I took my seat, as I looked up front. Annabel was in her position, looking beautiful, and smiling at her sister. I knew she knew where I was sitting, and she knew I knew she was avoiding me. She'd walk past the aisles, carefully averting her gaze away from me and walk around so she wouldn't walk next to me. She wouldn't look at me, at all. I sighed. Another thing to worry about. Wonderful.

#

Will's POV

Mom's engine cut off behind me.

"I'm going home. Will, you better come back and talk. We'll discuss this later," She called out from behind me. The engine was back on, and she took a U-turn. I heard the engine slowly dying away, and I stopped. Here I was at Kyle's apartment. My body started aching, and my legs were surely about to fall off. I walked up to the apartment, and knocked, crossing my fingers that he was home. He was. He opened the door, half asleep, hair disheveled. He saw me, and his eyes widened.

"Woah. Will, what the hell happened?" Kyle said, his voice concerned. I walked inside and sat on the couch. God, it felt so good to stretch my legs. It felt so good to relax. It felt so good to be home.

#

Sophie's POV

Will. I saw Will. He wasn't supposed to be here. He wasn't supposed to walk in my life just as I'd pushed him out. I stared at him. His expression cocky like he ruled the world, talking to Owen to find a reaction from him. But I knew that look he kept eyeing Owen with. I suddenly turned to Annabel, who was absolutely terrified.

"Annabel, he's going to-he's going to fight him." I whispered. She looked at me, her eyes overwhelmed with this piece of information I gave her. She froze for a second, not knowing what to do.

"Let's get help, before it turns to be a scene." I said, reaching for her hand. She looked at me for a second, and followed me into the church. We walked in, and before we could call for help, Annabel rushed to the back room, behind the platform stage where her sister was practicing I quickly told Clarke to tell Will's mom and Owen's mom as well. I walked right behind Annabel, making sure she was okay. Sure enough, she wasn't. She was sitting in the corner of the room, crying silently. She looked up at me, wondering why I was helping her. I just walked up to her, and sat by her.

"Why?" She croaked, her voice hoarse. I smiled. A smile that conveyed hope.

"Cause I'm your friend. This is what friends do." I said, handing her a tissue. I smiled, again. She managed a small smiled, and took the tissue wiping her face.

"Cause I'm your friend, Annabel. I'm here to help." I said, ready for a fresh new start.

#

Will's POV

"I messed up." Mom stared at me, her eyes red and puffy. She wiped her eyes that were watering once again. She sighed, and looked at me with sadness pouring out her body.

"Honey, are you okay?" She asked, her voice cracking. I closed my eyes, thought of Kyle. What he had said to me when I told him my story.

"_Will, I told you to stay away from him. And you didn't. But, I do know one thing. I know you have the courage to stand up for something you believe in. I know you can stand strong when no one else can. Do me a favor, when your mom talks to you, tell her what you told me. Tell her all you've been feeling. Why you did what you did, and why you need to change that. Cause the Will I've been hanging out with for the past years is not the Will I used to know. He's more than what he is now. He's my brother, and I want you to be too. Will, go fix things. Listen, I'm going to go to Chicago to fix things myself with my brother. IF you can, come see me. That'd be chill." He smiled, and we hugged. We were brothers. He had saved me. He told me all that I needed to hear. Then I realized: My dad would've told me that. My dad. God, I missed him. _

I looked back at Mom, and studied her for a few seconds. I shook my head.

"No, Mom. No," I shot back, "When have I ever been okay? The day Dad died affected me a whole lot more than you expected. You just locked yourself up in your room for days and didn't even look at me. How do you think I felt? Ever since then I was learnt to just sit in a hole and suffer. Suffer the death of my Dad. You just move on like nothings wrong, and stop acting like you knew me OR Dad. But when will I ever get my Dad back? The man you taught me how to walk? To talk? Play football? To be a real man? The one who'd sit with me and talk through to me when I'd cry? It was all him, Mom. Never you. Just do me a favor and don't act like I'm mental when I-he-when it's all my fault." I ended with a small voice. I closed my eyes, my eyes watering. Shit. I was a man, we men don't cry. I wiped my tears, quickly so she wouldn't see me bawling my eyes out.

"Will, sweetie, we're moving." She said., her voice faint now Just simple words. Those simple words changed me.

"Wait." I stared at her, my expression softer than before, "what?"

"I've been thinking. I haven't been a mother like I should've. Maybe it's too late but maybe it isn't. I want to start making it right, Will. We both need a fresh new start. So, let's move. Anywhere. I'll find a job, and you can finish school and start college. It'll be perfect. We can move out of this state, and just be us. What do you think?" She asked, her voice becoming steadier.

"Really?" I asked. I thought about it. She was right. We could make this all right. I could start fresh. Maybe I could have a new life. Start again. With something new. A fresh start, like Mom said. I looked at her, a small smile playing on my lips. She nodded, a smile forming on her face too.

"Yeah, Mom. Sure," I said, hugging her.

#

Owen's POV

After the main ceremony was over, Kirsten and Brian started their first dance. I looked around, and I spotted Annabel on the other side. I walked up to her.

"Belle, may I have this dance?" I asked, a smile playing on my lips. She still looked mad, but her eyes told me other wise. I grasped her hand, without her consent, and we started swaying to the music. We fell into rhythm naturally, and it was like it was meant to be.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't know what I was thinking, and-" I blurted out, rushing out my apology.

"Owen."

"I know, I know. You're pissed at me, and I am too. God, I just...freaked out." I looked down at her. A faint smile played against her lips. I raised my eyebrows.

"Huh. Really."

"What?" I was pretty confused.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "It's just to me, that's not freaking out."

"It's not." I said. I stared at her for a second, and then fell into place. "Oh," I said, "Right."

"I mean, to me, freaking out is different. More of a running away, not telling anyone what's wrong, slowly simmering until you burst kind of thing."

"Ah." I smiled, "Well, I guess it's just a matter of semantics."

"I guess so." She smiled, locking her arms around my neck, pulling me closer.

"You know, it sure seems like you have all the answers."

"Nah," She said, her voice comforting, "I'm just doing the best I can, under the circumstances."

"How's that going?" I wrapped my arms around her waist, and she drifted a bit closer.

"Well, you know," she looked up at me now. "It's day by day." I leaned down to kiss her, and she met me halfway. The kiss was perfect, just like her. When she leaned back, she stood on her toes, to whisper something in my ear.

"Owen, I love you." I smiled, and leaned down. I brushed her hair away, and whispered in her ear, "I love you. Always have, always will."

#

Annabel's POV

If anyone's life could be perfect, mine was pretty close. Sure, there were a few bumps on the road, and a hell of a lot drama, but I realized the end was worth it. Being with my family, my friends, Owen...it was where I wanted to be for the rest of my life. No matter what. THIS was my life.

#

**A/N:** Oh, and quick note-the last Owen's POV, most of the dialogue and some of the screenplay is from the Chapter 19 in Just Listen (pg. 362-363). Just wanted to give credit to Sarah Dessen. I thought it'd be cute to end this chapter with a conversation she ended with twice. Anyways, hope you liked it(: OH, and don't forget. **EPILOGUE or SEQUEL?(:**

Review if you'd like, Alert if you want, Favorite if you feel like it(: And, thanks for all the support you've given me during this story. Love you guys with allll my heart!


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